Beloved by home cooks and professional chefs alike, the Iron Handle Skillet has earned a reputation in the kitchen as a workhorse. Along with the Dutch Oven and Braiser, the Iron Handle Skillet has established itself as a staple in any kitchen. Equally versatile as it is durable, this piece of cookware can be used to elevate and simplify everyday meal preparation, making for a great addition to any Le Creuset cookware collection.
The Iron Handle Skillet opens up the possibilities in the kitchen, accommodating a number of cooking techniques, ranging from searing and frying to sautéing, and oven-baking. Whether you are looking to bake a fluffy cornbread, or want the perfect sear on your steak, this iconic piece of cookware has you covered.
Here is a complete guide to Iron Handle Skillet cooking techniques, including a few recipes to experiment with.
What is the Iron Handle Skillet?
To start off, what exactly is a Cast Iron Skillet? This piece of cookware is a versatile and durable pan that can be used for a range of recipes including proteins, vegetables, proteins, meats, and desserts. Crafted with enamelled cast iron, the Iron Handle Skillet can withstand high temperatures, offering superior heat retention.
The Iron Handle Skillet has a shallow base that makes it the perfect piece of cookware for searing, frying, and even baking. When used on the stovetop, the Cast Iron Skillet’s handle offers a secure grip, withstanding the highest temperatures.
This piece of cookware also features two spouts on either side, allowing for drip-free pouring. The cast iron skillet also features a natural patina that develops overtime, offering an easy-release surface for sensitive ingredients.
Iron Handle Skillet Cooking Techniques
The Iron Handle Skillet is designed to tackle a number of cooking techniques, helping you tackle all your favourite recipes with the minimum of fuss. From searing and frying to sautéing and baking, there is a reason the Iron Handle Skillet has emerged as a kitchen staple.
Searing is a cooking technique that exposes ingredients to a high temperature in order to create a crisp browning on the outside. Searing ingredients enhances flavours and is often done using a small amount of oil, butter or fat. This cooking technique ultimately ensures that the outside of your cut of meat will be crisp while the inside is tender and moist.
The Iron Handle Skillet is ideal for searing ingredients, featuring a matte black interior enamel that develops a natural patina over time. Searing is most often used with cuts of meat, delivering a rich and flavourful dish thanks to its caramelized crust. Indeed, this technique adds a new dimension of flavour and texture to your meal.
Contrary to what many people believe, searing is not about locking in flavour, but about creating a new layer of flavour with a crispy, browned exterior. This, in turn, adds depth to the flavour of your dish, making it a great first step prior to cooking the meat at lower temperatures.
The black matte interior enamel of the Iron Handle Skillet makes it perfect for stovetop frying. Simply put, frying is a technique of cooking ingredients in a shallow pan, often using butter or oil as a base. Crafted with enamelled cast iron, the Iron Handle Skillet has the ability to withstand higher temperatures. This piece of cookware features a shallow base and flared sides, giving you plenty of space for frying all-while offering a convenient surface for stirring and flipping ingredients. The versatile Iron Handle Skillet is the ideal piece of cookware for meals that require shallow frying, unlocking new layers of flavour.
Sautéing is a cooking technique deriving its name from the French word for jumping, referring to how your ingredients will be” jumping” around the pan. This cooking technique uses dry heat, using a small amount of fat in a hot pan while ingredients are tossed around. The pan must be very hot prior to the butter or oil being added in order to successfully sauté ingredients.
The Iron Handle Skillet is particularly suited for this cooking technique, providing superior heat retention and even heat distribution. To successfully sauté, it is also important to ensure that the ingredients are constantly moving around the Iron Handle Skillet, ensuring they are evenly exposed to the heat source.
Sautéing is ultimately designed to brown the surface of your food, introducing a new layer of flavour into your meals. This cooking technique is ideal for preparing thinner, tender pieces of meat, fish or vegetables. The high temperature will force out moisture and result in a flavourful meal.
While Baking is not one of the traditional uses of the Iron Handle Skillet, it is an excellent piece of cookware for the preparation of decadent desserts and fluffy cornbread. The Iron Handle Skillet has the unique ability to produce the ideal balance between a crispy outside and a moist and fluffy interior, making it well-suited for baking cornbread, cookies, and a range of other desserts.
This versatile piece of cookware also offers home cooks and chefs alike a generous surface area for all their favourite desserts.
Why do you need an Iron Handle Skillet?
The Iron Handle Skillet is the perfect addition to any cookware collection. This versatile piece of cookware offers even beginner cooks the ability to try out new cooking techniques and recipes. Whether you need to sear a steak and vegetables, or are eager to bake a giant skillet cookie, the Iron Handle Skillet has you covered.
The natural patina of the Iron Handle Skillet ensures that this piece of cookware is protected against chipping, peeling and rusting, guaranteeing its durability for years to come. The Iron Handle Skillet is a kitchen essential, epitomizing versatility, offering home cooks the flexibility they need in the kitchen. This piece of cookware also comes in a unique heart shape, that is perfect to complement any existing cookware collection.
Iron Handle Skillet Recipes
The Iron Handle Skillet can be used for a number of recipes, elevating traditional meal preparation. From Blueberry Dutch Baby Pancakes to prosciutto-wrapped beef, here are some delicious and easy recipes to try out in your Iron Handle Skillet.
Margherita Pizza
Our Margherita Pizza is sure to be a crowd pleaser for even the pickiest eaters. Starting off with a hot, empty skillet is the key to ensuring a perfectly crisp crust. Once the Iron Handle Skillet has been preheated, you can then lay the dough and its toppings on the matte black interior enamel.
Then, all you have to do is place the Iron Handle Skillet on the top rack of the oven until the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbling, which should take around 12 minutes. The Iron Handle Skillet does all the work for you evenly distributing heat and making sure your pizza is cooked through perfectly.
See the recipe
Blueberry Dutch Baby Pancake
Our Blueberry Dutch Baby Pancake goes to show that the Iron Handle Skillet is perfect for both sweet and savory recipes alike. This recipe takes less than 30 minutes to make and feeds 4-6 people, making it an easy meal to start any day. After baking the batter in the Iron Handle Skillet, all you have to do is add some butter, lemon juice, icing sugar and blueberries and voilà - a restaurant-quality pancake prepared in your versatile cast iron skillet.
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Pork Dumplings
These Pork Dumplings take over 2 hours to make, but the end result is worth every minute of preparation. After the dumplings are made and filled, you can add them to the Iron Skillet Pan along with vegetable oil. Next, sear the dumplings before adding water and covering the pan.
Cook for an additional 7-10 minutes and sprinkle with sesame seeds and the remaining chives and onions. and This recipe yields 2-4 servings, making it perfect for a special dinner for the family, delivering delicious, flavour-filled handmade dumplings.
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Prosciutto Wrapped Beef
This Prosciutto Wrapped Beef recipe takes under 2 hours to make, and will have your guests amazed at your cooking prowess. This dish offers between 2-4 servings and also includes an onion purée, making it a great recipe for home cooks wanting to try out something new and flavourful in the kitchen. The Iron Handle Skillet works to beautifully brown the outside of the filet, creating a caramelized crust that is bursting with flavour.
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Beet Tart Tatin
Beet Tart Tatin is the perfect dish for a vegetarian or vegan-friendly meal, or even just for those looking to try something new in the kitchen. Featuring beets and micro beet greens, our Beet Tart Tatin is equally delicious as it is easy to prepare. This recipe takes over an hour to cook and feeds 4-6 people, offering a uniquely refreshing dish for your next dinner party.
See the recipeIron Handle Skillet: The Ultimate Addition to your Cookware Collection
The Iron Handle Skillet is among the most versatile pieces of cookware and is built to last daily use. This piece of cookware can be used to tackle a range of cooking techniques such as searing, frying, baking and sautéing, providing endless recipe options.
If you’re new to the world of cooking, the Iron Handle Skillet is a great place to start thanks to its versatility and ease of use. This piece of cookware is truly the perfect addition to any Le Creuset collection, whether you are just starting out or are looking to complete a collection.
These were just some of our favourite Iron Handle Skillet cooking techniques and recipes but, for more inspiration, visit our blog and see what’s cooking! From recipe ideas to cookware care and use, our blog is sure to inspire you to take your cooking skills to the next level!